Грант для виробничих МСП у меблевій та будівельній сферах

MANUFACTergy grant programme

• MANUFACTergy is a project co-financed by the Single Market Programme (SMP/COSME Pillar).
• The initiative is implemented by a consortium of partners from eight European countries: Romania, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Czechia, Slovenia, Sweden and Norway.

Programme objective

• The programme aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the manufacturing sector.
• Its main objective is to help companies transition towards greener and more digital internal processes.
• The project promotes:

• • the adoption of sustainable practices;

  • the use of advanced digital solutions;

  • improved operational efficiency;

  • reduction of environmental impact;

  • stronger long-term competitiveness and resilience of SMEs.

Funding mechanism

• Support is provided through a Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) scheme, also known as cascade funding.
• The scheme is structured around two Open Calls, following a two-phase approach from assessment to implementation.

Programme stages

1st Open Call — FACTORY CHECK-IN

• Focuses on the preparatory and diagnostic phase.
• During this stage SMEs:

• • assess their energy and resource consumption;

  • identify operational inefficiencies;

  • develop tailored action plans for adopting new technologies and innovations.

• The outcome of this phase is a DESIGN STUDY, a customised implementation-oriented plan for adopting new processes and technologies.

2nd Open Call — FACTORY TRANSITION

• Focuses on the implementation and adoption phase.
• At this stage SMEs are supported in:

• • developing new or improved products and services;

  • adopting advanced and digital technologies;

  • upgrading business processes.

Who can apply

• Applicants must be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) according to the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC.
• An enterprise qualifies as an SME if it meets the following conditions:

• • fewer than 250 employees;

  • annual turnover up to €50 million or annual balance sheet total up to €43 million.

Geographical eligibility

• The SME must be established in an eligible country:

  • EU Member States (including overseas territories);

  • non-EU countries participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP).

• At least 10% of supported SMEs must come from EU regions different from the countries of the MANUFACTergy consortium partners.
• Particular attention will be given to SMEs from EU-13 countries and less-developed regions.

Target sectors

The call targets manufacturing SMEs operating in the following sectors:

• Furniture manufacturing, including:

  • residential and office furniture;

  • contract and custom-made furniture;

  • interior fittings and components.

• Manufacturing of building components and construction-related products, including:

  • structural and non-structural building elements;

  • prefabricated components;

  • interior and exterior construction materials;

  • systems and sub-systems used in buildings and infrastructure.

• SMEs involved in:

  • production of furniture components and fittings;

  • manufacturing of construction materials and systems;

  • industrial production activities related to the construction ecosystem.

Partnership with a solution provider

• Each application must include a solution provider.
• Providers are recommended to be selected from the MANUFACTergy Solution Providers Registry.
• Solution providers should specialise in areas such as:

• • smart manufacturing;

  • renewable energy;

  • AI-driven process optimisation;

  • circular economy solutions.

• The SME applicant may:

  • select a provider from the validated organisations list;

  • or propose its own provider in the application.

• The SME and the solution provider must be two independent legal entities to avoid conflicts of interest.

Application requirements

To participate in the call, applicants must:

• submit the application electronically through the EU Survey system;
• submit it before 17 April 2026 at 17:00 CET;
• use the official application templates and forms;
• include all required documents and declarations.

Mandatory documents

A complete application must include:

• the Application Form completed online;
• the Declaration of Honour – Eligibility Conditions signed by the SME applicant;
• all required annexes and supporting information requested in the Guide for Applicants.

Additional eligibility conditions

• Under each call, an SME may submit only one application.
• If multiple applications are submitted, only the last submitted proposal will be evaluated.
• Applications must:

• • be complete;

  • follow the official submission format;

  • be written in English in all mandatory sections.

• Incomplete or late submissions will be declared ineligible and excluded from evaluation.

Additional opportunity

• SMEs not selected in the FACTORY CHECK-IN call remain eligible to apply for the FACTORY TRANSITION call planned for a later stage of the programme.

Funding under the MANUFACTergy grant programme

• Funding is provided as a lump sum grant to support the implementation of the FACTORY CHECK-IN project in collaboration with a selected solution provider.
• The maximum grant amount is €10,000 per project.
• The grant may cover up to 90% of the total eligible project costs, while at least 10% must be co-financed by the SME through its own financial contribution.

Key funding rules

• A minimum of 75% of the grant must be allocated to the selected solution provider delivering consultancy or technical services.
• SME co-financing must be financial resources invested in the project, not in-kind contributions such as staff time.
• Only costs incurred during the project lifetime are considered eligible.

Illustrative funding scenarios

• Maximum grant with minimum project budget

  • grant requested: €10,000 (90%)

  • minimum project budget: approx. €11,111

  • SME co-financing: approx. €1,111

• Medium grant with moderate project costs

  • grant requested: €8,000

  • project budget: approx. €8,888

  • SME co-financing: approx. €888

• Maximum grant with higher total project budget

  • grant requested: €10,000 (programme cap)

  • project budget: approx. €15,000

  • SME co-financing: approx. €5,000

Additional financial conditions

• Applicants may request less than €10,000, but the minimum 10% co-financing rule still applies.
• Project costs must follow the usual accounting and financial management practices of the SME.
• Beneficiaries must keep original financial documents (invoices, contracts, timesheets) for five years in case of an audit.

Overall funding structure of the programme

• The Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) scheme has a total budget of €1,970,000.
• Two funding stages are planned:

• • FACTORY CHECK-IN — up to €10,000 per project (preparatory phase).

  • FACTORY TRANSITION — up to €50,000 per project (implementation phase).

• The maximum total support per SME is €60,000 across both programme instruments.

Eligible activities

Under the FACTORY CHECK-IN open call, funding supports preparatory activities aimed at improving energy efficiency and enabling innovation in SME production processes.

Supported activities include:

• assessment of energy and resource needs of the SME;
• conducting detailed analyses of current deficiencies and opportunities within production processes;
• consultancy services related to energy efficiency and resource optimisation;
• preparation for the adoption of new processes or advanced technologies;
• development of a tailored innovation implementation plan.

Main project deliverable

• The key outcome of the project is the DESIGN STUDY, which represents a customised transition plan toward more energy-efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes.
• The DESIGN STUDY:

• • is prepared by the selected solution provider;

  • represents a documented and technically sound implementation plan;

  • supports the adoption of innovation, new processes or advanced technologies.

Important conditions

• All eligible activities must demonstrably contribute to preparing innovation and the adoption of new processes or technologies.
• Activities resulting only in descriptive analyses without a clear implementation perspective will not be considered eligible.

Activities not eligible for funding

The following activities are not eligible for funding under the FACTORY CHECK-IN call:

• equipment purchase;
• investments in hardware or software;
• construction or infrastructure works;
• general business consultancy not related to energy or resource performance;
• training unrelated to the diagnostic or transition plan;
• general travel and marketing costs;
• debt or deductible VAT.

Call opening:

• 10 February 2026 at 10:00 CET (Brussels time).

Application deadline:

• 17 April 2026 at 17:00 CET.
• Registration for solution providers closes at the same time.

Announcement of evaluation results:

• May 2026, with applicants informed via email.

Signing of the Sub-Grant Agreement:

• within 4 weeks after the announcement of results (expected in May 2026).

Expected project start date:

• 1 June 2026.

Key call parameters

• Estimated number of funded projects — 37.
• Participants: a single SME from the furniture or construction manufacturing sector in partnership with a selected solution provider.
• Project duration: minimum 4 months, maximum 6 months.
• Maximum funding amount — €10,000 lump sum per project.
• Estimated total budget of the FACTORY CHECK-IN call — €370,000.

Further opportunities

• Beneficiaries of the FACTORY CHECK-IN call are encouraged to apply for the FACTORY TRANSITION call to implement innovative solutions or processes.
• Applicants without a DESIGN STUDY may also apply to the FACTORY TRANSITION call by submitting similar information and documentation in the application.

Submission of the application

• SME applicants must submit their proposal through the EU Survey system.
• The application must be submitted before 17 April 2026 at 17:00 CET.
• After submission, applicants will receive a notification confirming the date and time of registration.
• Proposals submitted after the deadline or outside the official form will not be evaluated by the expert panel.

Key submission rules

• Under this open call, each SME may submit only one proposal.
• If multiple proposals are submitted by the same applicant, only the last submitted proposal will be evaluated, while the others will be discarded.
• All information provided in the application must be complete and accurate.

Requirements for the proposal content

• Only civil applications will be accepted.
• The project must focus on the development of civil applications.
• All mandatory parts of the proposal must be written in English, and only the sections written in English will be evaluated.

Required documents

A complete application must include:

• the APPLICATION FORM completed online;
• the Declaration of Honour – Eligibility Conditions, signed by the SME applicant and uploaded in PDF format.

Confirmation of SME status

• Applicants must declare their SME status according to the EU definition of SMEs.
• This declaration is provided through the Declaration of Honour – Eligibility (Annex 1), which is a mandatory annex to the Application Form.

Evaluation procedure

• Applications are assessed in two evaluation steps:

  • eligibility check;

  • quality evaluation.

• The evaluation is carried out by the MANUFACTergy Evaluation Commission, composed of experts in energy, digitalisation and sustainability.
• To avoid conflicts of interest:

• • proposals will not be evaluated by organisations the applicants belong to;

  • proposals will not be evaluated by organisations from the applicants’ country.

• The maximum score is 60 points, with a minimum passing threshold of 30 points.

Main evaluation criteria

Applications are assessed according to five main criteria:

1. Relevance & Alignment (0–10 points)

   • alignment with the objectives of the call;

   • clear justification of the project relevance;

   • identification of existing SME deficiencies;

   • alignment with the goals of FACTORY CHECK-IN.

2. Technical Quality of the Work Plan (0–15 points)

   • clarity and coherence of the methodology;

   • alignment of proposed activities with eligible actions;

   • feasibility of implementation within 4–6 months.

3. Expected Impact (0–15 points)

   • potential for measurable efficiency gains;

   • contribution to green and digital transition;

   • long-term relevance and added value.

4. Capacity of the SME and Solution Provider (0–15 points)

   • relevance of the selected solution provider;

   • experience and portfolio of the provider;

   • SME capacity to cooperate and implement recommendations.

5. Budget and Cost Effectiveness (0–5 points)

   • realism of the budget;

   • proper justification of costs;

   • efficient use of funding.

Scoring scale

Each sub-criterion is scored from 0 to 5 points:

• criterion not addressed or cannot be assessed;
• poor;
• fair with significant weaknesses;
• good with some shortcomings;
• very good;
• excellent with no or minor shortcomings.

Additional assessment considerations

Evaluators also consider:

• realistic costing and justification;
• compliance with the minimum 75% allocation to the solution provider;
• efficient use of funds.

Selection procedure

• The final ranking is based on the total evaluation score.
• Proposals with the highest scores will be funded until the available budget is exhausted.
• The final decision is taken by consensus (at least two-thirds of votes) of the evaluation commission.

Tie-breaking rules

If proposals receive the same score, priority will be determined in the following order:

1. Geographical coverage — priority given to SMEs from EU regions not represented among MANUFACTergy partners (up to 10% of projects).
2. Membership coverage — priority for organisations that are members of the consortium clusters.
3. Award criterion scores — priority based on the Relevance & Alignment score, followed by other criteria.

Evaluation timeframe

• The evaluation period lasts up to 30 days after the call closing date.
• All applicants will receive an email notification with the evaluation results.

To submit an application, applicants must prepare and provide the following documents:

• APPLICATION FORM — the main application form that must be completed online through the official submission system.
• Declaration of Honour – Eligibility Conditions — a declaration confirming the applicant’s compliance with the programme requirements:

• • the document must be signed by the SME applicant;

  • it must be uploaded online in PDF format;

  • applicants must use the official template of the document.

These documents together constitute the complete application package for the grant programme.

Reporting after project completion

• After completing the FACTORY CHECK-IN project, each SME beneficiary must prepare and submit a Final Technical Report.
• The report must be submitted within 2 weeks after the project end date.
• The report should be sent:

• • by email to the Project Coordinator;

  • to the assigned Partner of Reference;

  • according to the deadline defined in the Sub-Grant Agreement.

• No final payment will be processed until the Final Report has been reviewed and approved.

Content of the Final Technical Report

The final report must include:

• a description of the activities carried out and consultancy services provided;
• the project deliverable — DESIGN STUDY, prepared by the selected solution provider;
• the completed feedback questionnaire on satisfaction with the project support (mandatory for SME beneficiaries and solution providers);
• proof of payment to the solution provider (bank transfer confirmation);
• supporting documents for the 10% co-financing, such as accounting records or invoices related to project activities.

Expected project outcome

• Each funded project must result in a DESIGN STUDY.
• The DESIGN STUDY is defined as a documented plan for energy-efficient solutions or transition, including:

• • analyses;

  • recommendations;

  • baseline indicators;

  • implementation-oriented guidance.

• The document is prepared by the selected solution provider and validated by the beneficiary SME.

Complaint procedure

• If applicants disagree with the FACTORY CHECK-IN results, they may submit a complaint.
• Complaints must be submitted:

  • via email to info@hygia.ro;

  • or through the programme’s national contact points.

• The complaint must be submitted within 3 days after the announcement of the results.
• The complaint email must include:

• • SME name and application name;

  • applicant contact details;

  • subject of the complaint;

  • information and evidence of the alleged breach.

Review of complaints

• Complaints are reviewed by the MANUFACTergy Evaluation Commission.
• The commission:

  • analyses the information provided;

  • assesses whether the complaint is justified;

  • may request re-evaluation of the application.

• The final decision will be communicated within 15 working days from the complaint submission date.
• The decision is final and binding for all parties, and no further complaints based on the same grounds will be considered within the programme.

Beneficiary obligations regarding documentation

• After receiving funding, the SME beneficiary must keep all supporting documents for 5 years after the payment of the balance.
• These records must be available for checks, reviews, audits or investigations.
• If ongoing procedures or investigations take place, documentation must be retained until those procedures are completed.
• Beneficiaries must keep original documents.

• • Digital or digitised documents may be accepted as originals if authorised under national law.

• These obligations are formally defined in the Sub-Grant Agreement signed between:

  • the SME beneficiary,

  • the MANUFACTergy coordinator,

  • and the partner of reference.

Financial capacity of applicants

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to implement the proposed activities and manage the granted financial support.

Each SME must confirm that it:

• is not bankrupt or under liquidation procedures;
• is not subject to court administration or arrangements with creditors;
• complies with obligations related to taxes and social security contributions;
• is not involved in any conflict of interest related to the grant.

Prevention of double funding

• The SME applicant cannot apply for or receive funding from other sources for the same project if it results in double funding of the same action.
• The MANUFACTergy consortium will conduct checks with other EU-funded projects and SMP Eurocluster consortia to ensure the absence of double funding.
• Statements related to financial capacity and double funding must be confirmed by the SME applicant through the Declaration of Honour, submitted as a mandatory annex.

Possible additional financial documentation

After the selection procedure, the consortium may request additional documents, including:

• a copy of the profit and loss account;
• the balance sheet for the last two closed financial years;
• bank statements or confirmations if required;
• for SMEs or startups without financial history — an audit of the current fiscal period or a self-declaration including a business plan.

Grant payment conditions

• Beneficiary SMEs will receive 100% of the lump-sum grant (up to €10,000).
• The payment will be made within 4 weeks after the Final Report has been approved.